Aitor Karanka bemoaned Middlesbrough’s second successive defeat after the Teessiders were knocked off the top of the Championship with another under-par performance.

Nottingham Forest claimed their first victory at Boro since Brian Clough’s side’s 2-1 win at Ayresome Park in 1993 as Jamie Ward’s 70th-minute goal ended the 23-year drought and enabled Hull to leapfrog Boro at the top of the table.

Karanka, though, insisted he knows how to solve his side’s problem after seeing them lose their first back-to-back games since April 2014.

“Losing at home is disappointing but it’s not just the game today, it’s the last three games now,” said the Spaniard. “They have been really poor. We have two weeks to work in the office and two weeks to work on the training pitch.

“We’ve lost two games but we’re still in the top two – I know the reason for the problem and I can fix it. We’ve got two weeks to work and I want to transmit a positive message. It’s not by chance we’re near the top of the table.”

Boro dominated for large periods of the game but struggled to break down their stubborn opponents. It is the first time they have conceded at home in 10 games in what is only their second defeat at the Riverside this season.

Dougie Freedman said that Forest’s victory was no fluke. “It’s a big result for us. Boro don’t lose goals. The last time Forest won here Mr Clough was in charge so it’s been a long time.

“We came here with a good plan, we’ve got a good spirit, and we’ve got a real resilience about us.

“That was our toughest match of the season because they grind you down and never stop going. But in the end I thought we attacked as well as Middlesbrough, maybe even better.”